Pneumatic door check and closer



Feb. 4, 1958 w. M. SIMSICH 2,821,737

PNEUMATIC 000R CHECK'AND CLOSER -F iled Dec. 27, 1954 2 She'ets-Sheet 1m'llia m M. Sim sic/r INVENTOR.

\ Feb. 4, 1958 w. M. SIMSICH 2,821,737

PNEUMATIC DOOR CHECK AND CLOSER Filed Dec. 27, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Will/21m M. Sims/ch I INVENTOR m L AW l 4 United States Patent OPNEUMATIC DOOR CHECK AND CLOSER William M. Simsich, Murray, UtahApplication December 27, 1954, Serial No. 477,767

4 Claims. (Cl. 16-84) The present invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in door closers of a type provided with a spring-actuatedpneumatic cylinder to close the door gradually in a dash-pot action. Theobjectionable feature in a device of this character is the difiiculty ofproperly adjusting the tension of the spring to close the door withoutslamming as it approaches its closed position due to decrease in tensionof the spring as the door reaches this point.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide apressure release valve for the air cylinder and which is actuated by themovement of the door as it approaches its closed position to release airpressure in the cylinder and permit the spring to complete its doorclosing function.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which is simpleand practical in construction, efficient and reliable in operation,relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for thepurpose for which the same is intended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout the drawings, and in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the door closer in position on adoor;

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan view with parts shown in section andshowing the door in closed position;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on a line 3-3of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on a line 44 ofFigure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on a line 5--5of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view showing the valveactuating means during initial door closing movement;

Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the pivoted valve actuatinglever;

Figure 8 is a top plan view showing the door in open position;

Figure 9 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the pressurerelease valve, and

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view in vertical section taken on the line1010 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose ofillustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention,the numeral 5 designates the air cylinder of a door closer of aconventional type and which includes a piston 6 working therein andprovided with a piston rod 7 and which is actuated by a spring mechanism8 which is attached to a door frame 9 by a bracket 4 adjacent the hingededge of a door 10.

For illustration purposes, the spring mechanism 8 is 2,821,737 PatentedFeb. 4, 1953 shown as comprising an upright pin 8a rising from androtatably settable in the bracket 4 to tension a coil spring 8bsurrounding the pin 8a within a barrel 8c rotatable on the pin 8a. Thepiston rod 7 is threaded into one side of the barrel 8c and the spring8b is suitably connected at one end 8d to the pin 8a and has its otherend 8e anchored in the closure plate 8 threaded in the lower end of thebarrel 8c, the arrangement being such that the barrel 8c will be rotatedto wind up the spring 8b when the door 10 is opened whereby the spring8b will unwind and close the door 10 when the latter is released. Aconventional ratchet wheel 8g fixed on the pin 8a and rotated on thebracket 4, together with a pivoted pawl 8h on the bracket 4 holds thepin 8a in rotatably set position.

A bracket 11 is attached to the door and includes a pair of spaced-apartparallel apertured ears 12 in which a pin 13 is supported and to whichthe front end of the cylinder is pivoted by means of a strap or metalloop 14 which is welded or otherwise suitably secured to a cap 15 on theadjacent end of the cylinder. The cap is also provided with an air vent16 controlled by a thumb screw 17 to control escape of air from thecylinder in a dash-pot action.

A spring loaded valve 18 is also mounted in the cap 15 and is closed bya coil spring 18a and the valve includes a stem 19 which projectsoutwardly therefrom. As shown, the valve 18 comprises a casing 18bthreaded, as at 180, through the cap 15 and contains a conical seat 18afor a head 18e on the stem 19. The seat 18d is held against a shoulder18f in the casing 18b by a tubular screw plug 18g threaded, as at 18h,in said casing and through which the stem 19 extends. The spring 18a toseat said head 18a is interposed on the stem 19 between the head 182 anda wing collar 18i slidable on the stem 19 and bearing against one end 18of the casing 18b. The seat 18d is provided with a sealing gasket 18kcountersunk therein. A lever 20 is constructed with a pair ofspaced-apartparallel apertured cars 21 for pivotally mounting the leveron pin 13 between the pair of ears 12 and the front end portion 22 ofthe lever is swingable into and out of engagement with the valve stem 19to press the latter inwardly in a valve opening movement.

The rear end portion 23 of the lever is provided with an opening 24 inwhich the front end of a rod 25 is slidable in parallelism to thecylinder 5. A cross pin 26 at the outer end of the rod retains the rodfrom being withdrawn from the lever and a coil spring 27 is tensionallyretained against the lever by a collar 28 which is secured inlongitudinally adjusted position on the rod by a set screw 29. The rearportion of rod 25 is slidable in a guide plate 30 which is supported onthe piston rod 7 and plate 30 is formed with a pair of arcuate slots 31in which clamp screws 32 are positioned and with the screws threadedinto the rear cap 33 of the cylinder to permit adjustment of theposition of rod 25 to prevent binding thereof in the opening 24 of lever20. The attaching bracket 4 of the spring mechanism Sis formed with astop plate 34 in the path of rearward movement of the rear end of rod 25and which is slotted, as at 34a to permit swinging of the piston rod 7relative thereto.

In the operation of the device, the spring loaded valve 18 is free to beopened by the suction stroke of piston 6 during opening movement of thedoor and which causes an outward sliding movement of the cylinder 5relative to piston 6. During this door opening movement the rear end ofrod 25 is released from stop plate 34 and spring 27 slides the rodrearwardly and engages cross pin 26 with the rear end portion 23 oflever 20 to swing the front end portion 22 thereof forwardly away fromvalve stem 19.

During initial closing movement of the door by the spring mechanism 8,the spring 27 maintains the rod 25 and lever 20 stationary and theclosing movement of the A reserve? 1 door is retarded by the dash-potaction of the piston and whichimaybe regulated by the thumb screw 17controlling the air vent 16. As the door approaches its closed positionthe tension of the spring mechanism becomes less and frequently is-ine'ifective to overcome air pressurere maining in the cylinder tolatch the door. Accordingly, the rod-25 is arranged so that its rear'end strikes stop plate -34-as the--door approaches its closed positiontopush the rod forwardly and swing lever'ztl toengage' and open springloaded valve 18- and thus'qui'ckly release the air pressure in thecylinder and enable the spring mechanism 8 to effectively continue its'door closing movement.

Fromthe foregoing, the constructionand operation of the device will bereadily understood-and further explanation ist believed tobe-unnecessary. -However,-since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired .to limitthe invention to the exact construction shownand described, andaccordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the appendedv claims.

What isclaimed' as new is as follows:

.1. In a door check and closer, I the combination of pneumatic meansadapted for attaching to a door and door frame for closing the door in adash-pot action, a spring loaded valve for relieving pressure in thepneumatic means, a rod slidably carried by the pneumatic means andincludinga rear end movable into engagement with a relatively stationarystructureupon a predetermined closing movement. of the door-to slidetherod forwardly, and lever means' actuated'by the rodandengagingthevalve to open the same.

2.. In va door check and closer, the combination of pneumatic'meansadapted for attaching to a door and door frame for closing the door in adash-pot action, 'a spring loaded valve for relieving pressure in thepneumatic means, a rod slidably carried by the pneumatic means andincluding a rear end movable into engagement with a relativelystationary structure upon a predetermined closing movement of the doorto slide the rod forwardly, and a lever pivoted on said pneumatic meansand having one end in the path of forward movement of the rod and 4having its other end engaging the valve to open the same.

3. In a door check' and closer, the combination of'an air cylinderadapted for attaching to a door and door frame and including a springactuated piston and piston rod, said cylinder having a vent forretarding closing movement of the door by said spring mechanism in adash-pot action, a spring loaded valve at the front end of the cylinder,21 pivoted lever arranged for-actuating the valve to open the latter,and a. rod slidably carried by the cylinder and havin'g'a front endportion connected to the lever, and said rod having a rearendpo'rtionengaged by a relatively stationary part of the closer upon apredetermined closing movement'of' the'door toactuate the lever to openthe valve and release air pressure in the cylinder.

4. In a door check and closer, the combination of an air cylinderadapted for attaching to a door and door frame and including a pistonand piston rod, and spring mechanismcoacting with said piston rod toclose the door to which the cylinder is attached, said cylinder having avent for retarding closing movement of the door by said spring mechanism'in' a dash-pot action, a spring loaded valve at the 'front'end' ofthecylinder, .pivot means for attaching the cylinder to a door, a leverpivotally supported on said first-named pivot means and'having a freeend portion positioned for actuating the valve'to open the latter, a rodslidably supported on' the cylinder parallel thereto, means looselyconnecting the front endof the rod withthe lever, acoil' springon' therodten's'ionally bearing against the leverto slide the rodrearwardly tomaintain the lever inactive when the door is open, and stationary meansin the path -of'rearward movement of the rod and engageable by therodupon a 'predetermined'closing movement of the door to actuate thelever in a valve opening movement to release air pressure in thecylinder.

References Cited. in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS505,744 Allin Sept. 26, 1893 FOREIGN PATENTS 36,253 Switzerland Mar. 9,1906

